Sandor Ellix Katz : Flax Seed Crackers–my version

Anyone would like these crackers, but raw foodists, fermenters, gluten-free eaters, and believers-in-the-merits-of-flax might be especially attracted. They are very easy to make.

Soak flax seeds in an equal amount of water or other liquid with flavor or nourishing qualities you think you’d like. You can add other things too–herbs or spices, bits of onion, some other seeds or crumbled nuts. I like them fine with just a little sea salt.

After a few hours or overnight the seeds and liquid will be thick and very slimy. Oil a cookie sheet with whatever grease you favor–sesame oil, butter, bacon drippings, or whatever. Spoon out blobs on the cookie sheet and smear them into very thin, flat disks with the back of the spoon.

Put the sheet in the oven (or dehydrator if you have one) and keep the temperature around 110 degrees if you want them to qualify as “raw.” If you don’t care about that and your oven, like mine, only goes down to 170, preheat and turn it off, allowing it to be sunshine warm but not hot. If you make a mistake and let the oven get too warm they won’t be “raw” but they’re still wonderful. Leave them there overnight to dry, then warm the oven back up a little and leave them for another few hours. When they are solid, move them with a spatula to a wire cooling rack which you can place in the pan so there will be air circulation while they continue to dry in the occasionally re-warmed oven for another 24 hours or so until you are sure they are totally dry and crisp.

Store the crackers in an airtight tin.